Going Down on the Path to Twilight
by EverlastingOblivion
Summary: It’s been twelve years after the defeat of Organization XIII and the light realm had been at peace. Now a new evil has risen though and Sora is unable to help. Riku must embark on a quest with an old nemesis of his to save the worlds from this new evil
1. City of Evil

Going Down on the Path to Twilight

((WARNING: contains spoilers))

Rain fell bitterly, pitter-pattering against rooftops, street lamps, cars, buses, even kids. Kids were the only ones that played in the rain; adults didn't play in the rain. Adults didn't play at all. They were too busy, always working, never playing. Really sad when you think about it. How could anyone go all their life without just enjoying themselves every once in a while? The simple joy of running through the rain when you don't have to just to get wet, the pleasure of digging holes in the yard, even though it ruins the grass, the pure unbridled happiness of getting a new toy. Adults for some reason don't want to have fun anymore though, they always feel the need to work and not to play, or they don't enjoy playing anymore because it takes away from their work. They work from Dawn till Dusk without even taking a break. It's a bleak existence for anyone to have to cope with.

Dogs barked rabidly and cats yowled their distaste for the sky water. The clouds as black as night completely blocked out the sun, not that there was much sun to be had. It was always so dark…always so cold. People passed down the street with umbrellas like faceless shadows coasting along the sidewalks. Darkness consumed all of their hearts, but they didn't know it. None of them knew it, no one ever did, until it was too late and the darkness manifested itself, but that's how it was in this world of eternal shadows that crept along consuming all they touched. A world of darkness, a world of Night.

He watched over them all, like an angel of darkness watching the world tick by. Perched on the top of the skyscraper that scraped the space between Dusk and Night. Why couldn't they know? Why couldn't anyone help them. It was all too sad. They lived a bleak and dark existence, welcoming darkness into their hearts, then soon it manifests itself and kills them and moves on to the next, uncaringly destroying whole cities with its sheer temptation. No one ever shed a tear for those that had been absorbed into the darkness. They just simply disappeared and no one said a word. No one shed a tear. No one said a prayer that one day they would see their face again. Darkness, the lord of the night and consumer of hearts. Destroying worlds by fueling bitter emotions: anger, hate, rage. No way to stop it, no way to block it, the only fate was to except it. The darkness had snuffed at all light, except one last spark, one last little hope which is always the hardest to put out.

He stood up, looking down at the people, all hosts to some depth of darkness. A cold blast of air smacked him across the face. He turned around to find he was not alone atop his perch. The hooded figure stared him down, a cold cruel smirk on the only part of his face the dim artificial lights of the city would show. "what are you going to do for them? Do you really think your their messiah. Give up already, there's nothing you can do. Darkness is eternal, you can never destroy it all for the world cannot exist without it." His voice was a cold blast of reality, icy as the wind he had rode in on.

"No, I might not be able to extinguish the darkness, but I can put light back into the world. You see, darkness is eternal yes, but so is light. One cannot exist without the other, so their will always be light, and I will always be the harbinger of light, just as you are messenger of darkness." His reply was smooth, calm, yet cold and indifferent to the people who had died to get him where he was, the final face off of light versus darkness, atop a skyscraper in the Twilight.

"You can't save them all. Some don't want to be saved. And as long as there are unsaved people in the world it will still be seethed in darkness. Give up…please old friend. Because if you don't…I'll have to kill you"

A smile curled across his lips "No I can't save them all, I might not be able to save a single one, but I tried and that puts me on the road…"

He looked at him, curious expression on his face, " and what road would that be? The road to Light? The road to Dawn?"

His smile stretched even fuller across his face as he shook his head " No friend… the road into the Twilight… that is where I belong…"

"Twilight…." He questioned darkly before laughing " stuck between light and darkness? Whatever could have happened to our savior to cause such a thing? So your not immune to feelings of guilt?"

"I feel no remorse for what I've done to get where I am standing right now. It doesn't matter what had to happen to bring this face off, light and darkness, the final round…will you fight with me?" he asked and smiled at his friend. How long had it been? Everything had been going fine. Twelve years had passed and the realm of light had been saved. There were no more 'bad guys', yes there was still darkness, still evil, still the Heartless that attempted to devour the world, all worlds, the heart of all worlds. But the realm of light was at peace. What darkness could have lured his friend from him too this place? He'd gone off in pursuit of his friend who had saved him once before. It had been twelve year since the fall of 'the organization', and only since two years ago had some version of evil manifested itself, this time not it the form of heartless or nobodies, but as the boy, now man who had once protected the realm of light with his life, the key barer. "Sora, I never wanted this to ever happen again. You saved me from darkness, now let me save you" he muttered and extended his hand, the same way he had where he had tempted his friend with the darkness, now he was tempting him with light.

"Save me?" he spat angrily. " I need no saving. It is you who is always picking the wrong side Riku. I was a fool, there is no meaning to the realm of light. Light can grow weak and powerless. While there will always be one spark it will only be in people like you. Everyone has darkness in there hearts, but not everyone has light Riku. If I want to protect the world I must wield the power of darkness, because darkness is in every heart, even yours." A long despising grin spread across Sora's face. He had grown to loathe his old friend in the twelve years since Organization XIII had been destroyed. They had lived peaceably…but only for a while. " Nothing good can ever last Riku" he murmured fervently, drawing closer to his friend. He stopped about a foot away, his smirk growing "join us…" he stepped closer, his face mere inches from his friends. Riku could feel the heat of his breath on his face as he whispered longingly "join me…"

He simply stared into Sora's eyes allowing all the distaste he could muster to seep into his vision. This was not going to happen. Sora leaned in closer and closer, there faces almost touching. " You WILL join me" he said darkly.

Riku aloud a smirk to take over his face as he placed a hand on Sora's chest. " Sora...I …I" he stuttered for a moment then his keyblade, the Way To Dawn, appeared in his hand and he sliced it across Sora's chest. " I think you've turned into a crazy bastard."

Sora reeled back shrieking and cursing " You fucking bastard. Kill him" he yelled and Riku watched as shadows below his feet began to shift and change. Darkness pooled at his feet and he felt himself beginning to sink rapidly

'don't lose hope…' who's voice was that?

'I have faith in you Riku, you must over come the darkness'

Riku backed away towards the edge of the building as tendrils of darkness licked his feet. He could scarcely move, …what was happening? He tried to back away, and then he felt himself falling. He felt terribly lightheaded and the wind whipped him relentlessly. He opened his eyes to find the ground rushing up to meet him and the skyscraper shooting up and away from him. Falling…falling…then he was out cold

Slowly feeling crept back into Riku's body. He twitched a finger then he herd an " so he is alive…that's good." His eyes flickered open; his whole body was a dull throb of pain. He tried to move more but it shot terrible flares of pain through him, causing him to cry out. He then heard a cold, familiar laugh " Easy Riku… don't strain yourself, you might end up hurting yourself and then who would we have to help us?" Riku looked around for the source of the hauntingly familiar voice.

"Zexion? But…but your dead."

"and what makes you think that hmmm? You didn't see it for yourself did you?" Zexion peered down at Riku, his lavender hair falling down in his face. "I am the last of Organization XIII, no…there is no more organization… but I am the last of my kind, nobodies that can still remember what it is like to have a heart… I am alone and unique…tragic…. eh?"

"What do you want? Where am I? Where's Sora? I'm going to kill that mother fu-"

"Silence Riku, I wouldn't have bothered saving you if I knew you'd be such a nuisance. As for your questions, Your in an alleyway laying on a bunch of cardboard boxes, your everything is pretty much broken…so you can't move. Where Sora is, I don't know but that leads to your other question…what I want. I believe we share a mutual goal at eliminating the once key holder. He's no good for this world now that he has been tempted by the darkness."

"So that explains why I would want to eliminate him. But what about you? There has to be some twisted reason you want my help."

"yes…but it is of little relevance to you. As I previously stated I'm no longer with the organization. My intentions have no malice to them. So can we strike a deal or shall I leave you here to die?"….

((Authors note: It took me quite some time to getting around to finishing my first chapter but there it is. I hope you all like it because I spend quite a few nights working on it. I plan to start working on the next chapter as soon as I finish my Mt. Dew so I'll hopefully have it up soon. Please review, I would really appreciate any criticism you can give me, because your opinions are better than my own. I never like anything I write so I rely on others to tell me what's good/ not good.))


	2. The Soulless

Chapter 2: The Soulless

It had been nearly a week since Riku had fallen off the skyscraper. He had made a deal with his former enemy Zexion, to kill his old friend Sora. Riku didn't know what intentions Zexion had for wanting Sora eliminated but Riku had his own. In exchange for promising to eliminate Sora, Zexion had brought him to him home and was nursing him back to health. As much as Riku despised Zexion it was either help him or die, and he kinda liked living.

Riku had been falling in and out of comatose like sleep while his wounds were healing. While awake Zexion would tell him some of what was happening. Riku, to dazed to really process it though didn't get much of it. Zexion eventually gave up and decided to wait till he was fully healed before he tried to tell him much. Zexion watched Riku, how pitiful he looked. Fast asleep, healing from a fatal drop. He wondered how Riku had survived.

He had seen him fall, seen him hit the ground, watched as the ground cracked and shifted as if a meteor had hit the ground. He had smelled him, Sora, the once key barer, and he had smelled Riku too. He would have known if Riku were dead, he would have smelt his scent dissipate. But it didn't, he was indeed alive. No one besides him seemed to have noticed anything at all had happened. Zexion had stealthily taken Riku's body as far as he could drag it before the key barer found them.

Two weeks passed and Riku seemed to be nearly finished. He remained awake more and seemed to be more focused, though he still had slight problems moving. "Rest" Zexion snapped, seeing Riku sit up. "Even if you are completely healed, which you're not, you should still remain for a while to make sure you're at a hundred percent. We're in no hurry; the key isn't going anywhere. You have to be in top fighting form to take him Riku. If your not he'll easily dispose of you again, and more than likely I wont be around to help."

"Why is that? To cowardly to fight on your own? That's right you are. I remember you wouldn't fight straight with me, you just tried to fuck up my head, only you know that wont work on Sora since his mind is already fucked" Riku said harshly.

"Don't mistake tactics as cowardice Riku. You are stronger than me in body so it would be stupid to fight you that way when you have an obvious advantage. You were much weaker in the mind back then though, it was easy to mess with your head. I would have gotten away from it if it weren't for that meddling nobody though. The years seem to have been good to you though Riku, your much sharper, much stronger than you were then. You'll need to be even more so though if you want to take on the Lost Souls."

Riku looked at him, confusion splattered all over his face. " Lost souls?"

Zexion chuckled darkly and nodded. "Riku, what happens when darkness takes over a heart?"

"It becomes a heartless" He answered, unsure of where this was going, if it was going anywhere at all. He knew Zexion, not like he would know a friend, not like say...Sora. Riku knew him fairly well though, the way two rivals know each other. He knew Zexion was not always straight forward.

Zexion nodded in approval and said " yes. And what happens to the body Riku?"

"The body becomes a nobody. You know this all already though Zexion, what are you getting at?" Riku frowned, a cold prickle running down his spine.

"Your wrong Riku. At least to a certain degree, allow me to elaborate. A person is made of three parts, as you and I both know, the heart, the body and the soul. A heartless is a heart tainted by darkness. A nobody is the body and soul that is left after one's heart is removed. Without the soul the body is naught but a lifeless corpse. What happens after you destroy the vessel that holds a soul? Dose it just float away? No, they become something else, more sinister and twisted than any Heartless or Nobody. There existence is still unknown to everyone outside this house Riku. You and I are the only ones that know about them, giving that you trust me. They are gathering viciously in numbers, and they are ready to mount an attack on all living things. They want their bodies back, and they'll stop at nothing to get their bodies." Zexion stared hopelessly out the window, wondering what Riku would be able to do about it. He had been counting on the key barer to help him…that is before he found out what had happened. Would Riku be strong enough?

"How do you know about all this" Riku said harshly, obviously he didn't believe him.

"Riku, as much as I don't like you and you don't like me I need your trust. What the hell do you think I've been doing for twelve years? Sitting on my ass and twiddling my thumbs waiting for you to plummet down from the sky? No, I havn't. I've been making myself useful by…"

"…Studying the heartless and nobodies right? The knowledge that turned you into a Nobody, that no one ever needs to mess with. That's what you've been up to isn't it?" Riku aloud no emotion to seep into his voice.

Zexion smiled darkly and said, " Yes, that's exactly what I've been doing. I'm already a Nobody…I've got nothing left to lose. I'd be damn happy if I were you that I have been though. So far these 'Lost Souls' are only appearing in this world though. If we can stop them here, they wont spread to other worlds. Think about it Riku, you can save the universe, doesn't that make you happy? All you have to do is destroy the one controlling them."

"..,and that would be?"

"your dear friend, Sora…"

((Authors note: yay another chapter complete! So now you know about the new mysterious evil known as the 'Lost Souls'. It still leaves many questions unanswered though. What has happened in the twelve years of supposed peace? What is this odd world that Riku and Zexion are in? How are they going to stop this new evil? The answers to all those questions and more in Chapter 3: Memories Inked on Photos Faded))


	3. Memories Inked on Photos Faded

Chapter 3: Memories Inked On Photos Faded

The truth didn't surprise Riku. Hell, he could care less about it. Now eliminating Sora was merely a mission, one that involved saving the universe. When Riku had first herd that his dear beloved friend Sora had turned towards the darkness it had been personal. Now, involving the entire universe, it was just a mission. Kill him. He didn't want to do it, but he was faced with limited options. " Why didn't you tell me something was wrong Sora? I would have helped you."

…

Sora was sitting on the beach eating a sandwich. It had only been a day since they had gotten home and he was acting if nothing had happened.

"Sora, what's up" Riku called over to his friend, smiling. He owed Sora his life after that battle with Xemnas.

Sora didn't even look up. " Nothing" he said, his voice barely audible.

…

Riku should have known something was up then, after Sora became quite and more withdrawn from them. The months before he disappeared he completely stopped talking period.

"Riku" Zexion said softly, poking him on the back.

"Owww" he groaned, he still felt like shit.

"Come on Riku, there's work to be done. If your well enough to brood over your ignorance then your well enough to deliver this for me" Zexion muttered and shoved a package at Riku's chest. "Deliver it down the block, the building with the red neon sign, he should give you a package to give to me."

Without further explanation he walked away from Riku and back to taking notes on a small experiment he had set up involving some weird jelly like substance Zexion seemed to be fascinated by.

Riku got up without arguing and left to deliver it and get it over with. Boy was he surprised when he saw who opened the door. "Axel?"

Axel gave him an odd glance and muttered a slow "yeah…that's my name. What do you want?" He didn't seem to recognize Riku. Maybe he was just a different guy who looked exactly like Axel and had the same name…unlikely. Axel was observing Riku then saw the package. " Did Zexion send you?" Riku nodded. " Come in"

Riku did as he was told and followed Axel in. "Axel? Didn't you…. oh…I dunno… do something along the lines of die?" Riku remembered Axel vaguely from the Organization. He remember Sora had told him all the stories of his adventures starting with when the Destiny Islands disappeared over a year ago all the way up until he found Riku again. It had been one of the rare times Sora talked after they had gotten back. He distinctly remembered Sora telling him about Axel dieing.

Axel looked at him then laughed. " Oh …yeah for a while kinda… it's a long story…say, how did you know?"

"Sora told me"

Axel's stare suddenly hardened. While Axel obviously didn't Remember Riku he did remember Sora. Sora and his twisted little games. 'If it weren't for Sora I wouldn't be alive… If it weren't for Sora I wouldn't have died in the first place… If it weren't for Sora I'd have my heart back earlier… If it weren't for Sora, Organization XIII would still be here… 'He thought bitterly. He was ready to throw Riku right out the door, when he remembered Zexion had sent him.

It hadn't occurred to Riku that Axel might have some hard feelings till Axel looked like he was ready to strangle Riku for merely mentioning Sora's name. "Not that you'd probably care much, but Sora is no longer in the hero business. He'd a bad guy now" Riku explained, which he was awarded a perplexed yet satisfied grin from Axel.

"I knew it. I knew Roxas well, and he really had a passion for evil, if you want to call it that. I could tell when I stared into Sora's eyes that he had it too. He suppressed that yearning to taste evil until now though? That kid's got self control." Axel laughed coldly as he gazed at Riku.

Riku shoved the package at Axel and said "can I go now?" Just because Sora had walked away from the light…that made him evil? Riku hated himself for agreeing to kill his best friend for all those years. Sora was going to kill them all if he wasn't stopped, but that didn't make it easy.

"keep your shirt on, I haven't even opened it yet" Axel muttered. Then he grinned and said " ..or you can take it off, I really don't much care." Axel giggled and Riku's eyes widened.

"Pervert" Riku muttered under his breath, glaring at Axel. He watched as Axel ripped the package open, a small box. He opened the box which had in it…chakrams? And a letter. Axel glared at the chakrams, a reminder of who he once was. He opened the letter and his emerald eyes darted back and forth across the paper, frowning as he went.

Axel looked over at Riku. "The lost souls…" he whispered, setting the letter down. Axel's eyes locked onto Riku's and Riku found himself unable to look away. "Sora told you I died. Yeah…I did. And I became one of the Lost Souls. I take it Zexion has told you about these abominations. I was brought here, to this world, where the surviving fragments of my soul were damned to wander, unable to do anything. It's not like being a nobody, it's not even like being a heartless. Its indescribable, how painful it is." Riku though for a moment his eyes were playing tricks on him. He saw Axel's eyes glaze over, then he blinked and they were gone. "You've never been a Nobody. I always thought it was the ultimate punishment. You can't feel anything, and its awful. But being one of the lost souls…that's the ultimate. You can't feel, emotional or physically. You're like a ghost. I had to live like that for five years before Zexion came…" he stopped, his eyes glazing over again. Riku looked at him questioningly, but didn't push for anymore.

Soon Axel regained himself and Riku asked "and he saved you?"

"You could say that. Zexion is our savior, but he can't save himself. The other twelve members of Organization XIII were all slain, or in Roxas's case restored, but he went on living. He found out about the lost souls, and then he came to this world looking for us. This is the world where all the lost souls live you know. He found us, those of Organization XIII soul's that survived. A lot of times weak souls just dissipate into nothingness. He developed away to restore us, and not only our bodies, but our hearts." Axel placed a hand over his chest and frowned. "But it won't work for him. Really tragic, he saved us but no one can save him. See, what he used to restore us only works on lost souls. and Zexion is the only one that can do the procedure. So no one can do it for him. He's damned to live forever, without a heart. Vexen is the only one I can think would be possibly able to work that thing of Zexion's, but Vexen's soul was shredded when it was ripped from his body. Only those of us that submitted willingly to death our souls survived. The tighter the soul clings to the dieing body, the less likely it is to survive. Only four of us survived actually. Xigbar, Xaldin, Larxene, and I were the only ones that lived, that we know of. Its possible the others are out their amongst all the other lost souls. Zexion hasn't dared go back to the lair of the Lost Soul's since he was attacked after retrieving Xaldin's soul. I'd hate to think the others are still out their, waiting for us to come get them." Axel frowned again and then sighed. " Nothing we can do about it. And you say Sora's joined up with them? That means Roxas…" Axel stopped, not wanting to think anymore about it.

"Wait, so you have hearts now? How could that be?" Riku asked, intrigued. What had Zexion done to bring them back, and give them hearts?

"Yeah, don't ask me how it works. It has something to do with our memories, which is why it only works for nobodies like we were. We're indebted to Zexion for what he did for us. He claims it was all for science but sometimes I wonder. Maybe he has a fragment of a heart in him. And that's why I have to fight again…because I owe him a favor. I vowed to never pick these up again once I had my heart back…but I will…for Zexion" He muttered, holding the chakrams. Riku cocked an eyebrow at Axel, confused. Axel sighed and said " Zexion has asked me to help destroy Roxas…I mean Sora. Come on, ummm what did you say your name was?"

Riku had forgot he hadn't introduced himself. " I didn't, but it's Riku." And then it seemed to click. Axel stared at him in disbelief.

"Riku? Sora's friend Riku?" He asked, sounding shocked. Riku nodded and Axel shook his head " wow, you sure are a lot different from that brat I remember from oh so long ago. Wow" Axel said and laughed. Riku glared at him and he stifled his laughter. "Well then Riku, let us proceed to the basement of my home." Again Riku's eyes widen at his comment and Axel sighed. " Get your mind out of the gutter. The other surviving members are all down there. I have to tell them about Zexion's letter. He might need their help to, if he plans to kill Rox- Sora. And…your going to help him? Wow, must be tough wasn't he your best friend?"

"Was" Riku highlighted.

"Okay, so you don't have a problem with murdering your friend in cold blood?"

"To save the universe" Riku pointed out.

Axel nodded and said " its your conscience, but it's my revenge. Don't get in my way, I wont hesitate to go right through you to get back at Sora."

Riku nodded and followed Axel down the stairs

((Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. Due to it not being so popular it was on the bottom of my update list. I finally got around to it though. Hope you find it interesting so far. The four living Organization members were all totally random, aside from Larxene, because it's just not one of my fics without her in it somewhere. Keep a lookout for the next chapter, things are going to get interesting really fast when Riku , Zexion, and Axel are all attacked by Lost Souls, with more than one familiar face in the next chapter: Reunion ))


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